The Weapons Master's Son
by LysCooper
Summary: Weapons Master Herald Alberich and Herald Chronicler Myste had a son. This is his tale.
1. Chapter 1

Aksel's chest heaved and his legs ached. He hated this, the bullies who came after him every chance they could get and the fact that they didn't fight fair. His left eye throbbed and it was becoming hard to see. Worse was than the pain was the fact that he knew he couldn't let his father find out about the nobly born boys thrashing him, or worst, tell him why. His blue uniform clung to his body and was stained in various places with blood, both his and others. He spotted a fence in front of him and panic gripped him for an instant. Could he make it over at a run, hurt as he was? At the very least, he had to try. He put both hands on the top of it and vaulted. Pain shot through him and he stumbled as he went to land but he kept going, hoping beyond hope that they would be afraid to follow him into Companion's Field. He knew a small group of trees he could hide in, if it came to that. The burning pain in his legs told him he would not be able to keep this up for too much longer. As the dark haired boy kept running, he suddenly heard the clear ringing neigh that was unmistakably a Companion. His mind went numb with the fear that it might be his father's Companion, but a small part of him also hoped that it might be. His exhausted and injured body gave out then and he collapsed to the ground, just in time to see the white blur go over his head and then the Companion landed behind him, rearing in challenge at the group of boys who were chasing him. The nobles scattered then, running back towards the palace. Aksel lay there on the ground, trying to assess his injuries with one part of his mind while the other ran in frantic circles fearing that his father would soon know his secret.  
>::<em>Chosen, are you alright?<em>::  
>The sudden voice in his mind accompanied by a gentle nose whuffling his hair startled him out of his thoughts and Aksel looked up into the clear blue eyes and knew in that instant that his entire life was about to change. He opened and closed his mouth several times in silence before the voice once again spoke in his mind.<br>"Who...?"  
>::<em>My name is Terrick, Chosen. Do you need a Healer or are you alright?<em>::  
>Aksel started slowly to pull himself to his feet and before he could fall, Terrick grabbed the back of his tunic in his teeth. The boy put an arm over the shoulder of his Companion. <em>His Companion!<br>_"I can't tell yet. But I think I do." He winced in pain as a he wiped the blood off his face. "Terrick, shouldn't I tell Dean Elcarth?"  
>::<em>Don't worry about that right now, Chosen. I have told his Companion and your father's Companion as well. They know to find you with the Healers.<em>:: As the color drained from Aksel's cheeks, Terrick quickly continued. ::_I didn't tell Kantor why you were being harassed. It is for you to decide when you want to tell your father that._::  
>Aksel started to nod and his head ached abominably. He groped at Terrick's neck, trying to find something he could grab onto. Instead his eyes rolled up in his head and Terrick held him up. The Companion, knelt and pulled his Chosen up onto his back and made for the Healer's Hall, with a care to keeping his Chosen on his back. Even a Companion had to take care while keeping his unconscious Chosen on his back with no saddle.<p>

::_You should leave your class in Jeri's hands for a moment. You are needed at Healer's Hall._::  
>Alberich was startled by the sudden comment from his Companion, but he didn't let it show. Instead he continued correcting one youngster's grip on his practice sword and respond mentally.<br>::_Who is it that has gotten hurt, and why do you need me?_::  
>::<em>Your son.<em>::  
>Alberich frowned inwardly. He had known for a while that Aksel was being beat on by the older boys, but he'd had no intention of butting his head in unless his son asked for help.<br>"Jeri," He said into the relative quiet of the salle, filled only with the sounds of practice weapons clashing. "In charge of the class, you are." And with only that, the Weaponsmaster left the salle in the care of his second.  
>He strode purposefully across the grounds towards the Healer's Hall. Those idiotic boys had never managed to hurt Aksel badly enough for him to need a Healer before. His heart and mind waged a bitter war, dancing circles through every scenario he could think of for what could have possibly happened. There was a large part of him that was irrationally angry at Aksel for not trusting in his own father to help him. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he gave only the barest notice to the unsaddled and tackless Companion standing outside Healer's Hall. One of the apprentices led him to a small room where Aksel sat sheepishly on a small bed while one of the Healers, it was Healer Beveney thought Alberich, tended to his head.<br>"It looks like you've gone and got yourself concussed, Trainee. Damn lucky you are that you didn't bust your head open." The Healer touched a hand between the boy's eyes. "Your ankle is sprained. You've half a dozen cracked ribs and a pair broken. And myriad cuts and bruises on top of all that." It was in that moment that Healer Beveney turned and saw Alberich standing in the door. "And you, Weaponsmaster, need to teach your boy to duck better. Had his Companion not brought him in, he might have spent the night out in the field with a concussion and I'll leave it to your imagination what that would do to his wits. Though, given that he let himself get into this state, I much doubt if he has any."  
>Alberich and Aksel both stared at the Healer, completely dumbstruck.<br>"His..." Alberich shook him out of his momentary confusion. "Well enough to go home, he is? Or overnight does he need to stay?"  
>"He'll be fine at home but see to it that you-" She paused for only a breath. "Well, I assume you know how to handle a concussed youngling. I Healed him, but its best to not take any chances with this sort of thing."<p>

As Aksel started to get to his feet, he heard the sound of feet coming down the hall with some urgency. Alberich stepped to the side, let Myste pass him and walk into the small room.  
>"Aksel! What did you do? What happened? Aleirian didn't know, she just said you'd gotten hurt."<br>"I'm fine, Mother, I'm..." He paused in his speech, grabbing at the bed he'd just been sitting on.  
>::<em>Chosen, move slowly unless you want to lose your lunch on the nice Healer's floor.<em>::  
>The boy smiled slightly. "I'm sure she's used to it, Terrick."<br>Myste looked at her boy, confusion plain on her face. It was Alberich that clarified the situation for her.  
>"Chosen, he has been." There was so much pride in his father's voice, that Aksel almost winced. He would be a lot less proud if he knew why the Blues had taken to tormenting him.<br>"He's also concussed and should go rest." muttered Healer Beveney, taking Aksel under the arm and guiding him to his mother. "Lots of water, food if he can keep it down and bed rest. Now." The Healer then frowned slightly. "And keep him shielded."


	2. Chapter 2

The sun wasn't even a glimmer on the horizon as Aksel rolled out of bed and pulled on his now familiar grey uniform. He sat on the floor of his small room and started his stretches. The sky was beginning to glow a vibrant red as he finished his routine and shifted position to kneel, facing the window. His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, and he spoke in accented Karsite, offering up his prayers for Sun-Rising. Once he was finished, he smiled, very much enjoying these rare times of peace he had during the day. He silently walked out in the hall, a bookbag over his shoulder, and went to the dining hall for breakfast. It was only just being put out and he gossiped merrily with the kitchen staff as he helped himself to a pocket pie and some breakfast sausage. He tucked the pie into his pocket and walked out into the misty morning. Terrick met him just outside the door and Trainee and Companion walked in silence to the gardens. The differences between his old life, as an unaffiliated student, and his new life as a heraldic trainee were both marked and almost nonexistent. He still rose before the dawn, he still attended classes for most of the day and he still ended his day with weapons work and riding. The major change was that now his classes were about law instead of tactics and his riding involved learning to match Terrick no matter what. And most importantly, he had to learn to shield his mind. This new ability to sense the thoughts of those around him hadn't startled Aksel nearly as much as it could have, given that he had been raised entirely around Heralds. But at the same time, when his concentration slipped or he was tired, things would leak through and they were sometimes quite embarrassing. More embarrassing were the sporadic times he had responded to a thought instead of something spoken.  
>::<em>If you aren't going to eat that pocket pie...<em>::  
>Aksel rolled his eyes and held the pie up.<br>"Glutton." His tone was full of affection as he said it.  
>::<em>I am <em>not.::  
>A bell rung overhead somewhere and Aksel put a hand on Terrick's flank for just a moment before turning back into the building to head to his classes for the day.<p>

"Heyla, Pervert."  
>Aksel tried not to respond. He tried to keep his anger on the inside, and his shame. He walked past the young nobles, all in their blue uniforms, and wiped the nervous sweat off his hands. He didn't notice the foot poised to trip him as he walked towards the door of the salle, he did notice the arm reaching out to shove him though. Aksel took a step forward, turning to catch the blow and fell over another boy's booted foot. Quiet but cruel laughter seemed to come from all directions. A hand suddenly entered his field of vision and he looked up to see the young Lord Kavinestral. The eldest son of a borderlord down on the Rethwellan border, he was half Valdemaran, half Rethwellan and completely and utterly self absorbed. There was a smirk on his face for just an instant before it was replaced with a false look of concern.<br>"Why, Trainee Aksel, here let me help you up."

Alberich stood watching an older heraldic trainee, nearly ready for her whites as she sparred with a guardsman. He watched with an impassive face, though he was very proud of each and every one of his students, and more than a little worried about them as they prepared to leave the Collegium. Suddenly, he heard the thud of a body hitting the ground and glanced over. He could see a figure in greys sprawled on the flood, flanked by Blues. He sighed inwardly as his dark haired lad glared up at the noble brats and stood, ignoring an out stretched hand.  
>::<em>They're still bothering him, even though he's a trainee now.::<em> Kantor observed.  
>::<em>He hasn't so much as mentioned it. Until he asks for help, I will continue to let him handle it his own way.<em>::  
>Kantor went quiet, a definite sign he wasn't going to bother trying to argue with his Chosen once his mind was made up, even if he did think it was a stupid idea.<br>Aksel strode over to the pell and grabbed a training sword to work on one of the more complex patterns. Only Alberich, of all the people in the room, saw the fury in the boy's swings and knew it for what it was. He was also the only one who understood the Karsite oaths Aksel grunted as he swung.

Aksel slammed down into a bench in the dining hall and then put his dinner in front of himself more decorously.  
>"Rough day?" The voice was pleasant and light, a gentle female voice. It had to be Aria. Aria was a second year bardic trainee, and younger than Aksel. He at her and snorted.<br>"You have no idea..."  
>"Its when you say things like that where I truly wonder how people can believe being Shaych is a choice. After all, I certainly wouldn't choose to be beaten up day in and day out."<br>"Keep your voice down!" Aksel only barely managed to keep his voice to a whisper. "And I didn't get beaten up...just knocked down."  
>"Have it your way."<br>Aria reached for her glass and Aksel made a quick grab to keep her from knocking it over. She sighed lightly and thanked him.  
>"I moved it closer again, didn't I?"<br>Aksel couldn't help but smile at the exasperated look on her face.  
>"Don't worry, the healers said you would get your routine under control soon."<br>Aria frowned slightly and then nodded. She turned her face up to him and smiled, her milk white eyes unfocused. Aria had been blind for the last 3 years. Her family were from OutKingdom and she'd been sent here to relatives after the accident. It was only then that they realized she had Bardic gift. Aksel didn't know what had happened, she never really talked about it. He did his best to help her as she learned how to live without her sight.  
>"I hope so...I hope so. So, tell me more about you definitely didn't get beat up."<br>Aksel rolled his eyes and turned his attention completely to his food.


End file.
